Improvement in systems qf cutting dresses



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEa MRS. H. M. CARPENTER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SYSTEMS QF CUTTING DRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,837, dated September 4, 1866.

To all whomt may concern:

Beit known that I, Mrs. H. M. CARPENTER, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Patterns for Cutting Dresses 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use the invention, I will proceed to describe it.

My invention consists in producing a set of patterns or models properly marked and graduated, by which a person will be enabled to out dresses to 'fit women and children of all sizes and ages.

I rst provide a model or pattern, of pasteboard or other stiff material, cut of the form shown in Figure 1, and of double the length and Width there shown. This pattern is provided with holes located and numbered, or otherwise marked, as shown, and is used for cutting the fronts.

The pattern represented by Fig. 2 is used for cutting the backs, while that represented by Fig. 3 is used for forming the arm-hole and a portion of the neck.

The pattern represented by Fig. et is used for cutting the arm-hole in childrens dresses, while Figs. 5 and 6 represent patterns used for cutting or forming what are known as the darts of the waist.

To use these patterns I proceed as follows; First, measure around the bust under the arms, second, measure around the waist; and,

third, the length of waist from under the arm to the waist. Then place the pattern Fig. l with its line or edge D parallel with the edge or selvage of the cloth to be cut, but one inch back from the edge, and draw a line parallel therewith for the hem. Then, start-ing at the point c, draw a line along the edge C unt-il it arrives opposite the number corresponding with the size, which in this ease may be supposed to be 32, and there make a mark or dot, and also at 32 on the line I. Then place the pattern Fig. 3 so that its number 32 on the edge L will rest at the dot made at 32 of line C, with its edge L also striking the dot made at 32 of line I, and mark around it on the line L until a point is reached opposite 32 on the opposite side, which forms a portion of the arm-hole.

To form the neck, lines are drawn by means of. the curved portion E of Fig. 3 from either of the points a to b, c, or d of Fig. l, according to the size of the neck, dots being made on the cloth at these points where Fig. l is first placed in position.

From the bottom of the arm-hole measure off the length of the waist in a perpendicular line, and from where this line stops draw a line to the selvage or edge ofthe cloth, showing bottom of the waist. Then take half the distance from. the arm-hole to the waist, and measure up onfront or selvage that far, and from that point to the bottom of arm-hole lay the rule. and make a mark on this line at three, and also at six, inches from the selvage or front. These will indicate the top of the darts. Then lay on the dart-pattern, Fig. 5, point up, withits edge one and a half inch from the selvage, and line the darts, placing them as close together as the style may render necessary.

The front at the waist should measure, leaving out the space occupied by the darts, twoth-irds of the size around the waist. This completes the fronts.

To cut the back, take the pattern Fig. 2 and place it with the edge marked F to the edge of the cloth, where the latter is folded for doubling it, and draw a line from the point o along the edge G until it arrives opposite 32, and there make a mark, and also at 32 in the opposite line of numbers. Then, with the edge L of Fig. 3, draw a line from one to the other of these marks 32. Then place the rule at this lower mark 32, and measure downward the distance of the length of waist, and from thence in a straight line to the fold in the cloth. Then measure back from fold on this line one-sixth of the size around the waist, and there place upper edge of the rule or large dart-pattern, Fig. 5, with its dart-point touching the lower point of arm-hole, and draw a line along its upper edge, thus completing back.

If desired to have the curved seam on each 2 mes? side of the baokhvou place the pattern Fig. 2 on the back in suoli a position that the notch n will come midway on the line of the arm-y liole, and its edge H half an inch back from the fold, and draw a line along the edge H from n to the bottom of the-Waist.

By the use of these patterns, and following the instructions here given, any person can ont any style of dress for women or ohildrens wear. It will, of Course, be understood that the small dart, Fig. 6, and the small ar1n-hole pat- Vitnesses:

J oHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, W. G. DODGE. 

